Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder | The Guardianhttp://www.theguardian.com/society/attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder
Latest news and features from theguardian.com, the world's leading liberal voiceen-gbGuardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. 2015Tue, 03 Mar 2015 20:51:35 GMT2015-03-03T20:51:35Zen-gbGuardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. 2015The Guardianhttp://assets.guim.co.uk/images/guardian-logo-rss.c45beb1bafa34b347ac333af2e6fe23f.pnghttp://www.theguardian.com
UN drugs body warns US states and Uruguay over cannabis legalisationhttp://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/mar/03/un-drugs-body-warns-us-states-and-uruguay-over-cannabis-legalisation
<p>International Narcotics Control Board report says US and Uruguay are breaking drug treaties and warns of huge rise in abuse of ADHD treatment Ritalin</p><p>The United Nations has renewed its warnings to Uruguay and the US states of Colorado and Washington that their cannabis legalisation policies fail to comply with international drug treaties.</p><p>The <a href="https://www.unis.unvienna.org/unis/en/events/2015/incb_2015.html">annual report</a> from the <a href="https://www.incb.org/">UN’s International Narcotics Control Board</a>, which is responsible for policing the drug treaties, said it would send a high-level mission to Uruguay, which became the <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/dec/11/uruguay-cannabis-marijuana-production-sale-law">first country to legalise the production, distribution, sale and consumption of cannabis for recreational purposes</a>.</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/mar/03/un-drugs-body-warns-us-states-and-uruguay-over-cannabis-legalisation">Continue reading...</a>DrugsDrugs policyUruguayWashington DCWashington stateColoradoAmericasAttention deficit hyperactivity disorderSocietyHealthUnited NationsUS domestic policyUS politicsLawCannabisOregonAlaskaTue, 03 Mar 2015 16:08:05 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/mar/03/un-drugs-body-warns-us-states-and-uruguay-over-cannabis-legalisationPhotograph: Ted Warren/APThe owner of a marijuana seed company at CannaCon, a marijuana business trade show in Seattle. Washington state legalised cannabis in 2012.Alan Travis home affairs editor2015-03-03T16:08:05ZADHD: a ‘real’ brain disorder or further medicalising of childhood? | Letters: Steven Rose, Dr Neel Kamal and othershttp://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/dec/30/adhd-real-brain-disorder-further-medicalising-childhood
<p>Educational psychologists’ alarm about the over-prescribing of hyperactivity drugs to very young children (<a href="http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/dec/21/adhd-medication-treat-hyperactivity-pre-school-children" title="">Report</a>, 22 December) is welcome. But the underlying question remains: how it is that a “disorder” which scarcely existed in the UK in the 1980s, though widespread in the US, is apparently so prevalent that it is said to affect up to 5% of our nation’s children? Even the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines, to which your report refers, do not question that attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is a “real” brain disorder, rather than a convenient way of labelling a child who is boisterous and disruptive in class.</p><p>Ask paediatricians how often they saw children with “minimal brain dysfunction”, as ADHD was then known, in the 80s, and their answers range from one in 100 to one in 500. In the early 90s, Ritalin prescriptions were running at about 2,000 a year, although the drug had been available for years and was in massive use in the US. Today, the figure is over 600,000. Does the fault really lie inside our children’s brains, or is it a further – and dangerous – manifestation of a medicalising culture?<br /><strong>Steven Rose</strong><br /><em>Emeritus professor of biology (neuroscience), The Open University</em></p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/dec/30/adhd-real-brain-disorder-further-medicalising-childhood">Continue reading...</a>Attention deficit hyperactivity disorderChildrenMental healthSocietyHealthNHSHealth policyTue, 30 Dec 2014 18:33:26 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/dec/30/adhd-real-brain-disorder-further-medicalising-childhoodPhotograph: Angela Hampton Picture Library //Alamy‘Children under six meant to be hyperactive! In the sense that they should be running around pretty much 12 hours a day.’ Photograph: Angela Hampton Picture Library/AlamyPhotograph: Angela Hampton Picture Library //Alamy‘Children under six meant to be hyperactive! In the sense that they should be running around pretty much 12 hours a day.’ Photograph: Angela Hampton Picture Library/AlamyGuardian Staff2014-12-30T18:33:26ZADHD drugs increasingly prescribed to treat hyperactivity in pre-schoolershttp://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/dec/21/adhd-medication-treat-hyperactivity-pre-school-children
<p>A fifth of educational psychologists say they know of children being given medication despite guidelines advising against it<br></p><p>An “alarming” number of pre-school children are being prescribed drugs to treat hyperactivity – contrary to medical guidelines that say they should not be used on children under six – because overstretched health workers go straight to medication rather than offering psychological interventions.</p><p>More than a fifth of educational psychologists say they know of preschool children who are being given medication such as Ritalin even though the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (Nice) recommends psychological interventions should be tried first.</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/dec/21/adhd-medication-treat-hyperactivity-pre-school-children">Continue reading...</a>Attention deficit hyperactivity disorderHealthChildrenPsychologyUK newsSocietySun, 21 Dec 2014 21:20:37 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/dec/21/adhd-medication-treat-hyperactivity-pre-school-childrenPhotograph: Phototake Inc./AlamyThe report found that medication was seen as the main solution in the treatment of ADHD. Photograph: Phototake Inc./AlamyPhotograph: Phototake Inc./AlamyThe report found that medication was seen as the main solution in the treatment of ADHD. Photograph: Phototake Inc./AlamySally Weale, education correspondent2014-12-21T21:20:37ZGiven a chance, schoolchildren won’t always behave badly | @guardianlettershttp://www.theguardian.com/education/2014/sep/29/given-a-chance-schoolchildren-will-not-always-behave-badly
<p>Sir Michael Wilshaw’s comments attacking headteachers for bad pupil behaviour are not conducive to finding solutions (<a href="http://www.theguardian.com/education/2014/sep/25/headteachers-too-soft-unruly-pupils-ofsted-chief-sir-michael-wilshaw" title="">Headteachers too soft on unruly pupils – Ofsted chief</a>, 25&nbsp;September. It echoes his highly critical comments two years ago about teachers who say they are stressed.</p><p>We agree that low-level disruption in class is a real problem which must be addressed to help improve education standards, but what is the government doing to support teachers dealing with a range of abilities, ballooning class sizes and longer hours? The application of consistent behaviour policy, and teachers working with parents, is key to tackling this issue, but what teachers really need is sufficient continual professional development and the support of their headteachers, who in turn need to be backed up by properly trained governors.</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/education/2014/sep/29/given-a-chance-schoolchildren-will-not-always-behave-badly">Continue reading...</a>Pupil behaviourOfstedAttention deficit hyperactivity disorderSchoolsEducationTeachingSocietyMon, 29 Sep 2014 19:09:41 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/education/2014/sep/29/given-a-chance-schoolchildren-will-not-always-behave-badlyPhotograph: Dave Thompson/PANot all classes are subject to disruptive behaviour. Photograph: Dave Thompson/PAPhotograph: Dave Thompson/PANot all classes are subject to disruptive behaviour. Photograph: Dave Thompson/PAGuardian Staff2014-09-29T19:09:41ZEducating Essex: Mr Drew's new school for badly behaved boyshttp://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/apr/19/educating-essex-mr-drew-school-for-boys-channel-4
The headteacher from the Channel 4 TV show has a new intake at his residential summer school: 11 boys with behavioural problems – and their parents, who learn some lessons too<p>Until recently, Michelle Darwin worked 68 hours a week as a care worker. She freely admits that she took on such long hours to get away from her 10-year-old son, Zane. He was a problem child who would throw a dozen tantrums a day if he didn't get his own way. Michelle preferred to leave Zane in the care of his father, househusband Allan, rather than face him after school each day.</p><p>&quot;We called him Lord Zane, because he ruled the roost,&quot; says Michelle, 40, from Havant in Hampshire. &quot;We weren't his family; we were his staff. He had to have everything his own way. It took two of us just to try to get him to take a shower and he'd scream the place down.</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/apr/19/educating-essex-mr-drew-school-for-boys-channel-4">Continue reading...</a>FamilyParents and parentingChildrenEducationEducation policyPoliticsEducational TVTelevisionTelevision & radioSocietyAttention deficit hyperactivity disorderLife and styleSat, 19 Apr 2014 06:15:02 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/apr/19/educating-essex-mr-drew-school-for-boys-channel-4Richard Ansett/PR'He’s still a cheeky little sod, but he’s definitely a nicer boy' … Allan and Michelle Darwin with their son Zane. Photograph: Richard AnsettRichard Ansett/PR‘We normally don’t get the chance to get under the skin of a child’s family’ … Mr Drew. Photograph: Richard AnsettVicki Power2014-04-19T06:15:02ZSluggish cognitive tempo: the ADHD-like disorder that explains daydreaming?http://www.theguardian.com/society/shortcuts/2014/apr/15/sluggish-cognitive-tempo-new-disorder-rival-adhd
According to emerging research, many children previously diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder could be living with another condition entirely – but not everyone agrees<p>The tough-minded call it naughtiness. Some parents blame dull teaching. More than <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/adhd/documents/timeline.pdf" title="">a century after it was first described</a>, there are still plenty of people who wonder whether children who can't concentrate at school are really suffering from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Now a group of researchers think that millions of&nbsp;them are not, but that they&nbsp;are&nbsp;living with something else instead.</p><p>Sluggish cognitive tempo (SCT), as the condition has been called, was the big story in <a href="http://link.springer.com/journal/10802/42/1/page/1" title="">the January issue of the Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology</a>. And to some extent it does tidy up a loose end that has been hanging around for decades: many of those diagnosed with ADHD are not hyperactive at all.</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/society/shortcuts/2014/apr/15/sluggish-cognitive-tempo-new-disorder-rival-adhd">Continue reading...</a>Attention deficit hyperactivity disorderSocietySciencePsychologyMental healthTue, 15 Apr 2014 16:15:00 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/society/shortcuts/2014/apr/15/sluggish-cognitive-tempo-new-disorder-rival-adhdAlamyChildren who live with SCT would once have been described as daydreamers. Photograph: AlamyAlamyChildren who live with SCT would once have been described as daydreamers. Photograph: AlamyLeo Benedictus2014-04-15T16:15:00ZChildren of older men at greater risk of mental illness, study suggestshttp://www.theguardian.com/science/2014/feb/26/children-older-men-mental-illness-fathers-school
Research finds children born to fathers aged over 45 were more likely to have mental health problems and do poorly at school<p>Children born to fathers over the age of 45 are at greater risk of developing psychiatric problems and more likely to struggle at school, according to the findings of a large-scale study.</p><p>The research found that children with older fathers were more often diagnosed with disorders such as autism, psychosis, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. They also reported more drug abuse and suicide attempts, researchers said.</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/science/2014/feb/26/children-older-men-mental-illness-fathers-school">Continue reading...</a>ReproductionPsychologyGeneticsHuman biologyBiologyScienceMental healthSchizophreniaBipolar disorderAttention deficit hyperactivity disorderHealthSocietyHealth & wellbeingLife and styleFamilyParents and parentingWed, 26 Feb 2014 21:00:00 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/science/2014/feb/26/children-older-men-mental-illness-fathers-schoolMurdo Macleod/GuardianFather and son walking. Photograph: Murdo Macleod for the GuardianMurdo Macleod/GuardianFather and son walking. Photograph: Murdo Macleod for the GuardianIan Sample, science correspondent2014-02-26T21:00:00ZADHD linked to paracetamol taken during pregnancy, says studyhttp://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/feb/26/adhd-linked-paracetamol-during-pregnancy-study
<p>Early findings could help pinpoint reason behind worldwide rise in cases of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder</p><p>Paracetamol, a common pain reliever considered safe for pregnant women, has been linked for the first time to an increased risk of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children, according to a new study.</p><p>More studies are needed to confirm the findings, but experts said the research points to a new potential cause for the worldwide rise in cases of ADHD, a neuro-behavioural condition which has no known cause and affects as many as 5% of US children.</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/feb/26/adhd-linked-paracetamol-during-pregnancy-study">Continue reading...</a>Attention deficit hyperactivity disorderDrugsPregnancyDenmarkMedical researchTue, 25 Feb 2014 22:43:55 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/feb/26/adhd-linked-paracetamol-during-pregnancy-studyPhotograph: GettyThe findings of a preliminary link between the drug and ADHD have sparked call for further research. Photograph: GettyPhotograph: GettyThe findings of a preliminary link between the drug and ADHD have sparked call for further research. Photograph: GettyAgence France-Presse2014-02-25T22:43:55ZADHD: it's not just for childrenhttp://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/jan/07/adhd-attention-deficit-hyperactivity-adults
In addition to the other mental conditions that come with age, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder can also affect adults<p>Chris Ecarius had so much difficulty filling out his <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_Security_(United_States)" title="">Social Security</a> application online that the 62-year-old went to a doctor to find out why his brain didn't seem to work properly. Over the years, he'd seen other doctors about similar struggles. He'd been told that he was depressed, but he didn't feel depressed. This time, Ecarius got a different diagnosis: attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), a conclusion that seemed more appropriate for a child in grade school than an adult in retirement.</p><p>When Ecarius, who lives in Houghton Lake, Michigan, was young, he had trouble paying attention. He'd dropped out of school and left several jobs, had several traffic accidents and had never quite gotten on track. &quot;I could have been a doctor,&quot; he said. &quot;I could have been a pharmacist, I could have been anything I wanted to be,&quot; had someone diagnosed his ADHD when he was a child. With the help of his wife, Ecarius was able to settle into a skilled trade job with General Motors, a position he held until age 58, when, he says, he became overwhelmed by the computers at work.</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/jan/07/adhd-attention-deficit-hyperactivity-adults">Continue reading...</a>Attention deficit hyperactivity disorderOlder peopleSocietyHealthTue, 07 Jan 2014 14:00:01 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/jan/07/adhd-attention-deficit-hyperactivity-adultsSaul Gravy/CorbisCaption here about ADHD xxxxx Photograph: Saul Gravy/CorbisSaul Gravy/CorbisCaption here about ADHD xxxxx Photograph: Saul Gravy/CorbisSuzanne Allard Levingston for the Washington Post2014-01-07T14:00:01ZBoris Johnson missed the point on IQ – gifted children are failed by the system | Deborah Orrhttp://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/dec/06/boris-johnson-missed-point-iq
From politicians to psychologists, too many people fail to understand how high intelligence can isolate people, especially children<p>In all <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2013/nov/28/boris-johnson-iq-unpleasant-elitism-nick-clegg" title="">the furore surrounding Boris Johnson's comments on IQ</a>, one of the many respects in which he was utterly wrong has been barely mentioned. In fairness, this isn't entirely Johnson's fault. It is an endemic misunderstanding, the assumption that people with IQs over 130 are likely to sail through life, effortlessly achieving &quot;success&quot;.</p><p>It's been good to see neuroscience getting a popular airing this week. One can certainly complain that a study from the University of Pennsylvania into mental illness in children and young adults, widely reported as having demonstrated brain differences between males and females, has been &quot;<a href="http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/dec/03/men-women-brain-wired-differently-study-mental-illness" title="">reduced to pop psychology</a>&quot;. But, in truth, neuroscience does not penetrate our general culture nearly enough.</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/dec/06/boris-johnson-missed-point-iq">Continue reading...</a>ChildrenNeuroscienceLearning disabilitySocietyEducationDisabilitySciencePsychologyBoris JohnsonPoliticsDyslexiaAttention deficit hyperactivity disorderFri, 06 Dec 2013 18:00:00 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/dec/06/boris-johnson-missed-point-iqSarah Lee/GuardianMany gifted children exhibit “asynchronous development", causing them all kinds of problems. Photograph: Sarah Lee for the GuardianSarah Lee/GuardianMany gifted children exhibit “asynchronous development", causing them all kinds of problems. Photograph: Sarah Lee for the GuardianDeborah Orr2013-12-06T18:00:00ZADHD prescriptions rise sparks 'smart drug' fearshttp://www.theguardian.com/society/2013/aug/13/adhd-prescriptions-smart-drug-ritalin
GPs in England hand out 657,000 prescriptions for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder – up 56% since 2007<p>The number of drugs prescribed to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) sufferers has soared by more than 50% in six years, figures show.</p><p>Prescriptions for methylphenidate drugs, including Ritalin, have been steadily increasing, according to the annual Care Quality Commission (CQC) report on controlled drugs.</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/society/2013/aug/13/adhd-prescriptions-smart-drug-ritalin">Continue reading...</a>Attention deficit hyperactivity disorderHealthSocietyUK newsTue, 13 Aug 2013 07:39:23 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/society/2013/aug/13/adhd-prescriptions-smart-drug-ritalinMurdo Macleod/Murdo MacleodPrescriptions for methylphenidate drugs, including Ritalin, have been steadily increasing, according to the CQC annual report. Photograph: Murdo MacleodMurdo Macleod/Murdo MacleodPrescriptions for methylphenidate drugs, including Ritalin, have been steadily increasing, according to the CQC annual report. Photograph: Murdo MacleodPress Association2013-08-13T07:39:23ZTaking pills for unhappiness reinforces the idea that being sad is not human | Giles Fraserhttp://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/belief/2013/aug/09/pills-unhappiness-reinforces-sad-human
If you have a terrible job or home life, being unhappy is hardly inappropriate. Pathologising it can only make everything worse<p>I was trouble at school. &quot;Like a monkey at the zoo, Giles is intent on displaying himself from his least flattering angle,&quot; said one teacher in my term report, a document strewn with words like &quot;disruptive&quot; and &quot;unfocused&quot;. Thank God this was in the early 80s, otherwise I bet someone would have suggested <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ritalin" title="">Ritalin</a>. For, since the mid 80s, society has decided that adolescent trouble-making is some sort of medical condition. We have given it a scientific-sounding classification, <a href="http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder/Pages/Introduction.aspx" title="">ADHD</a>, securing a sense that a messy adolescence is pathological, some sort of chemical imbalance. Thus the scientists are called in to reinforce generally conservative norms of appropriate behaviour. In the US, between 1987 and 2007, there was a 35-fold increase in the number of children being classified as having some form of mental deficiency.</p><p>Of course, there are alternative narratives of my trouble-causing. I hated school because I wanted to live by a different story to the one proposed by the British public school system. Or, maybe, I preferred having fun to reading Chaucer. That may be a less noble account, but hardly pathological, or in need of some medical classification. But deviation from social conformity is increasingly seen to be something in need of a pill. In the UK in 1999, there were 158,000 prescriptions written for Ritalin. In 2010 it was 661,463.</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/belief/2013/aug/09/pills-unhappiness-reinforces-sad-human">Continue reading...</a>DepressionAttention deficit hyperactivity disorderAnglicanismChristianityReligionLondonUK newsWorld newsSocietyHealthFri, 09 Aug 2013 18:30:00 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/belief/2013/aug/09/pills-unhappiness-reinforces-sad-humanAlamy'Let's not make people's sadness worse by insisting on the compulsory happiness of the smiley face'. Photograph: AlamyAlamy'Let's not make people's sadness worse by insisting on the compulsory happiness of the smiley face'. Photograph: AlamyGiles Fraser2013-08-09T18:30:00ZYoungsters use dementia drugs to boost brain power, survey findshttp://www.theguardian.com/science/2013/may/17/youngsters-dementia-drugs-boost-brain
Medicines used for Alzheimer's disease and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder taken by 1% of 14 to 18-year-olds<p>Some young people in Britain have used drugs for dementia and other conditions to boost their mental performance, a major survey suggests.</p><p>Medicines normally prescribed for Alzheimer's disease and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) were taken by 1% of 14 to 18-year-olds to improve their focus, concentration or memory, the report found. The independent survey carried out by Ipsos Mori for the Wellcome Trust, Britain's largest biomedical research charity, drew on responses from more than 1,000 adults and 460 young people chosen as representative of the UK general public.</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/science/2013/may/17/youngsters-dementia-drugs-boost-brain">Continue reading...</a>DrugsScienceAlzheimer'sHealthSocietyAttention deficit hyperactivity disorderUK newsPharmaceuticals industryFri, 17 May 2013 00:05:16 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/science/2013/may/17/youngsters-dementia-drugs-boost-brainMurdo Macleod/GuardianSome young people claim to have taken Ritalin, used to control ADHD, to improve their focus Photograph: Murdo Macleod for the GuardianMurdo Macleod/GuardianSome young people claim to have taken Ritalin, used to control ADHD, to improve their focus Photograph: Murdo Macleod for the GuardianIan Sample, science correspondent2013-05-17T00:05:16ZIs ADHD over-diagnosed in the US? | Pollhttp://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/poll/2013/apr/01/is-adhd-overdiagnosed-us-poll
<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/01/health/more-diagnoses-of-hyperactivity-causing-concern.html?hp">Eleven per cent of school-age American children</a> – including nearly one in five boys in high school – are now treated for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Is ADHD over-diagnosed? <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/poll/2013/apr/01/is-adhd-overdiagnosed-us-poll">Continue reading...</a>Attention deficit hyperactivity disorderUS healthcareUS newsSocietyHealth & wellbeingChildrenSchoolsMon, 01 Apr 2013 20:39:50 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/poll/2013/apr/01/is-adhd-overdiagnosed-us-pollMurdo Macleod/Murdo MacleodRitalin is widely used to treat children diagnosed with ADHD. Photograph: Murdo MacleodMurdo Macleod/Murdo MacleodRitalin is widely used to treat children diagnosed with ADHD. Photograph: Murdo MacleodGuardian Staff2013-04-01T20:39:50ZIs there a link between ADHD and spectacular financial failures? | Laurence O'Dwyerhttp://www.theguardian.com/science/blog/2012/aug/22/link-adhd-spectacular-financial-failures
Researchers speculate that the brain networks behind ADHD may also be associated with 'suboptimal' economic decisions<p>In 1902, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Frederic_Still" title="">George Still</a>, the father of British paediatrics, gave one of the earliest descriptions of ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder), calling it a &quot;moral defect without general impairment of intellect&quot; characterised by an &quot;abnormal incapacity for sustained attention&quot;.</p><p>While the second part remains largely true, causal theories have moved on from descriptions of a &quot;moral defect&quot;. Brain imaging studies in particular have shown that there are structural and functional changes that underpin ADHD symptoms, and in <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22560046" title="">a paper published last month in the journal Biological Psychiatry</a>, a group at the Institute for Disorders of Impulse and Attention in the University of Southampton assess one of the newest ways of studying ADHD – by coupling brain imaging with neuroeconomics. They speculate that the condition may be associated with &quot;suboptimal&quot; economic decisions.</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/science/blog/2012/aug/22/link-adhd-spectacular-financial-failures">Continue reading...</a>Medical researchScienceAttention deficit hyperactivity disorderHealthSocietyFinancial crisisBankingBusinessWed, 22 Aug 2012 06:30:00 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/science/blog/2012/aug/22/link-adhd-spectacular-financial-failuresGraham Turner/GuardianAlthough children with ADHD find it hard to concentrate at school, in other situations it can be beneficial. Photograph: Graham Turner for the GuardianHO/PAA new way to study ADHD is to couple brain imaging with neuroeconomics, potentially providing insights into the behaviour of traders and bankers. Photograph: PAGraham Turner/GuardianAlthough children with ADHD find it hard to concentrate at school, in other situations it can be beneficial. Photograph: Graham Turner for the GuardianHO/PAAn office worker looks at a FTSE 100 trading screen after investors were rocked by the collapse of US bank Lehman Brothers. Photograph: PALaurence O'Dwyer2012-08-22T06:30:00ZWhat can athletes with ADHD teach us about the condition?http://www.theguardian.com/society/2012/aug/01/athletes-with-adhd
Michael Phelps, hailed as the greatest Olympian ever, has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Can his, and others', success be used help inspire younger people?<p>One has acquired more Olympic medals than any other athlete in history. The other was knocked out of the Games after just 250 seconds. But Michael Phelps and Ashley McKenzie, the 23-year-old British No 1 judoka, have one thing in common: both have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), as does another high-profile Olympian, British gymnast <a href="http://www.louis-smith-official.com/" title="">Louis Smith</a>, who this week helped win the first British men's gymnastics team medal for a century.</p><p>Suddenly, a condition that is hugely stigmatised and still controversial, is unexpectedly in the spotlight. It raises several interesting questions. Does ADHD hinder or help sporting success? And can the Olympics offer a positive legacy for people suffering from it?</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/society/2012/aug/01/athletes-with-adhd">Continue reading...</a>Attention deficit hyperactivity disorderSocietyOlympic Games 2012SportMichael PhelpsWed, 01 Aug 2012 19:00:04 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/society/2012/aug/01/athletes-with-adhdAFP/Getty ImagesMichael Phelps: swimming helped him with his ADHD. Photograph: AFP/Getty ImagesAFP/Getty ImagesMichael Phelps: swimming helped him with his ADHD. Photograph: AFP/Getty ImagesPatrick Barkham2012-08-01T19:00:04ZRitalin use for ADHD children soars fourfoldhttp://www.theguardian.com/society/2012/may/06/ritalin-adhd-shocks-child-psychologists
Pupils as young as three are at risk from untested drug cocktails, warn experts as prescriptions soar<p>Prescriptions of Ritalin for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder have quadrupled in a decade, prompting fears it is being pushed on children at the expense of alternative treatments and without appreciation of long-term effects.</p><p>Figures released by the NHS business services authority to the Liberal Democrat MP Tessa Munt reveal the number of prescriptions of methylphenidate hydrochloride, the generic name for Ritalin, rose in England from 158,000 in 1999 to 661,463 in 2010.</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/society/2012/may/06/ritalin-adhd-shocks-child-psychologists">Continue reading...</a>Attention deficit hyperactivity disorderUK newsSocietyDrugsScienceChildrenEducationHealthPsychologySat, 05 May 2012 23:07:00 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/society/2012/may/06/ritalin-adhd-shocks-child-psychologistsMurdo Macleod/ObserverMore youngsters are being prescribed Ritalin for ADHD despite clinical guidelines to the contrary, say child psychologists Photograph: Murdo Macleod for the ObserverMurdo Macleod/ObserverMore youngsters are being prescribed Ritalin for ADHD despite clinical guidelines to the contrary, say child psychologists Photograph: Murdo Macleod for the ObserverJamie Doward and Emma Craig2012-05-05T23:07:00ZParents of adopted children with special needs 'lack support'http://www.theguardian.com/society/2011/nov/05/adopted-children-special-needs-support
National Autistic Society warns of significant breakdown in the assistance on offer from social services<p>The families of adopted children with special needs face a double struggle to obtain the support that they need from social services, a leading charity warns.</p><p>Days after <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2011/oct/31/councils-face-adoptions-ultimatum?INTCMP=SRCH" title="David Cameron's announcement">David Cameron announced</a> a campaign against councils that failed to help people wanting to adopt, research from the <a href="http://www.autism.org.uk/" title="">National Autistic Society</a> (NAS) reveals a significant breakdown in support that can extend for years.</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/society/2011/nov/05/adopted-children-special-needs-support">Continue reading...</a>AdoptionSocial careAutismPublic services policyAttention deficit hyperactivity disorderLocal governmentUK newsFamilySocial exclusionSat, 05 Nov 2011 20:01:14 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/society/2011/nov/05/adopted-children-special-needs-supportMurdo MacLeodJanet Love with her sons, David and Euan. Photograph: Murdo MacLeodMurdo MacLeodJanet Love with her sons, David and Euan. Photograph: Murdo MacLeodChristopher Stevens2011-11-05T20:01:14ZLetters: Incorrect use gives Ritalin a bad namehttp://www.theguardian.com/society/2011/mar/21/incorrect-use-ritalin-bad-name
<p>It is depressing to read yet another article (<a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2011/mar/18/behaviour-drugs-four-year-olds" title="Report">Report</a>, 19 March) criticising the use of methylphenidate (Ritalin) for the treatment of ADHD. Clearly if the drug is being wrongly prescribed that is a bad thing, but this should not obscure the tremendous benefits that it brings to many children and their families.</p><p>Our son and daughter both have ADHD. Despite the efforts of various therapists, they found life very difficult. Lack of concentration meant that they struggled to understand what was happening at school. Home life was stressful due to the constant misbehaviour and arguments. Perhaps worst of all, forming friendships was difficult. Imagine always being the child who is bottom of the class, always in trouble, has no friends and who doesn't get invited to parties. ADHD is not a trivial disorder.</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/society/2011/mar/21/incorrect-use-ritalin-bad-name">Continue reading...</a>Attention deficit hyperactivity disorderChildrenSocietyHealthUK newsMon, 21 Mar 2011 00:05:05 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/society/2011/mar/21/incorrect-use-ritalin-bad-nameGuardian Staff2011-03-21T00:05:05ZLetters: ADHD diet successhttp://www.theguardian.com/society/2011/feb/16/adhd-diet-success
<p>We welcome publication of the <a href="http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736%2810%2962227-1/abstract" title="">results</a> of the Netherlands study on the impact of a restricted diet on young children with ADHD (<a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2011/feb/04/adhd-diet-food-children-behaviour?INTCMP=SRCH" title="Report">Report</a>, 5 February). The improvement in behaviour noted in up to 78% of the children in the study comes as no surprise as we have been promoting the Feingold elimination diet to families of ADHD children in this country for over 30 years with similar success. During this time we have helped hundreds of thousands of children and their families find successful outcomes. We gave evidence to the <a href="http://www.nice.org.uk/" title="">National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence</a> for its most recent ADHD guideline, including the recommendation that parents use the food and behaviour diary on our website, although Nice favoured a mainly pharmaceutical approach. We hope that as a result of this study the elimination diet will be recognised as a valuable first step in treating ADHD, with drug use seen as a last resort.</p><p><strong>Gillian Western</strong></p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/society/2011/feb/16/adhd-diet-success">Continue reading...</a>Attention deficit hyperactivity disorderHealthSocietyPharmaceuticals industryBusinessNutritionLife and styleNutritionScienceWed, 16 Feb 2011 00:05:04 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/society/2011/feb/16/adhd-diet-successGuardian Staff2011-02-16T00:05:04Z